Winds of Change
by rogue-scholar07
Summary: Roxy's on cloud nine now that she's been accepted to Alfea, but a routine school check up reveals some startling news. Can she rise to the challenge, or will she fall to far to fly again?
1. Chapter 1

**A.N.:**** I know this fic is rather…out there in concept, so if you don't like unusual subject matter, you'd best leave this story alone and find another to read. Also, this is not one of those "submit your OC" fics (I have plenty of my own, thank you), so don't bother trying to submit a character.  
**

**Summary:**** Roxy's excited about starting school at Alfea, but a standard magical physical exam reveals some startling facts. Can she rise above the obstacles and insecurities, or will she fall too far to fly again?**

**Winds of Change**

**1. Shattered Mirrors**

She took a deep breath in an effort to calm her excited nerves. Even with her trusty companion Artu by her side, she felt completely lost. Alfea was absolutely HUGE, and the list of students hoping to get in was lined up to the driveway where the shuttles and taxis dropped off students from far realms. The girl in front of her, a petite teen with bright green hair, was practically shaking with fear.

Griselda, the infamously strict (or so the Winx had told her) head of discipline, peered over her glasses at the list. "I'm sorry, there's not a 'Essy' on the list."

The girl sighed. "Try looking for Princess Esther."

Griselda re-checked the list, a thin smile appearing on her face. "Yes, Princess Esther of Hestia. You may enter."

Watching this exchange made the violet-eyed girl worry. '_How did Morgana register me?_' She wondered, her right hand clenching Artu's leash so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"Name and realm of Origin." The middle-aged woman asked.

"Roxanne of Earth(1)." She said, earning a few gasps of awe from the girls behind her. She was completely aware of the fact that she was the first, genuine Earth fairy to attend the school since the realm's magic was sealed away. Bloom didn't really count, as she hailed from Domino, not Earth.

"Ah, the infamous 'Roxy'." Griselda smirked. "Ofelia will be waiting for you inside."

"_Grazie._" Roxy nodded, putting one foot in front of the other and stepping through the front gates of Alfea College for Fairies.

As promised, Ofelia the nurse was waiting to escort her to the infirmary. Since Earth still lacked the technology to do a full magical check-up on a person, Roxy's before-school check-up had to be done on campus. The nurse seemed like a nice woman…although she was a little leery of trusting someone who bore the same name as a literary character that went mad and killed herself. (2)

The equipment in the infirmary looked akin to the probes Roxy had seen countless times in Sci-Fi thrillers and horror flicks back on Earth, which did little to ease her worries. She was examining a particularly gnarly looking robot when Ofelia called to her.

"Roxy, dear, step away from that machine! We won't be using it today, and hopefully none at all this semester!" The older woman fussed.

"What is it for?"

"Robotic surgery. Again, I hope I don't have to use it." The dark haired fairy stated. "Now, come have a seat on this cot, and we'll get this over with."

Roxy nodded, taking a seat and watching the woman lay out various devices. The Animal Fairy's brow wrinkled in thought. Was this going to hurt?

Ofelia let out a light-hearted chuckle at the girl's face. "No need for alarm, Roxy. All I need to do is run a quick diagnostic scan, and we'll be finished here."

"Scan?" Roxy asked, looking at the small round device in the nurse's hands. "With that thing?"

"Just relax, dear." The elder fairy smiled, pressing a button on the device. Instantly, it started hovering and began flying around Roxy. Strange beams raked over her body, but triggered no sensation of pain. After a few seconds, the little round thing flew over to a computer and settled down on top of a drive reader. "Now, let's have a look at the results…" Ofelia stated, moving over to the monitor for a glance at the data.

The girl looked on as Ofelia's eyes went wide and her jaw slackened. "Miss Ofelia? What is it?"

"Oh my." Ofelia blinked. "That's most peculiar."

"What's peculiar?" The magenta-headed girl tried again. "Am I sick?"

"No, nothing like that dear." The nurse shook her head. "But we need to see Headmistress Faragonda about this."

"What's going on?" Roxy demanded. "Why do we need to make a special trip."

"Well, for lack of a better term…Roxy, you're half witch".

* * *

To be honest, Faragonda had prepared for this possibility. The fact that the girl had bypassed Winx and jumped straight into Believix was an indication, in addition to the fact that, on occasion, she'd emitted dark magic without knowing it. In fact, magical analysis of the first energy Roxy conjured revealed that it was, indeed, dark magic instead of fairy magic. Now they had physical confirmation of it.

But, while Faragonda had prepared for it, Roxy obviously had not.

"How can I not be a fairy?" The violet-eyed girl paced in front of the headmistress's desk. "I earned my Believix and everything!"

"You're still a fairy, Child." The white-haired woman soothed. "Your magic is just a bit…imbalanced."

"What?" The girl blinked. "Imbalanced how?"

"You see, Roxy, in all beings there is both light and dark magic. Usually, one is completely dominant over the other unless the right kind of emotions awaken the hidden type. This is why some witches have been recorded as having wings." Faragonda explained. "But, sometimes, this magic doesn't have a set pecking order. The ratio of light to dark is almost or entirely equal, as is the case with you. It's uncommon, but not unheard of."

"So…my magic's not in alignment?" Roxy asked, earning nod from the elder woman.

"Exactly. Magic, both light and dark, are linked to emotions. When your emotions are in a state of chaos, your attack type will be constantly switching between light and dark. Do you understand?" The girl nodded, looking up at Faragonda with scared eyes.

"Will I have to go to the witches' school?" She asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Not full time, dear." Faragonda smiled warmly. "Only for a few classes a week. I'll also have you working with a teacher's aide named Mirta, as her situation upon coming here was similar to yours."

'_So I'm not alone._' Roxy sighed with relief, looking down at Artu.

"Why don't you go on to your room and rest?" Faragonda offered.

"But…what if they hate me?" The girls' eyes grew large.

"I can assure you that at least one of them is perfectly fine with this." The headmistress smiled, her eyes glistening with pride. "Go on and introduce yourself, Dear."

"Okay." Roxy replied, walking to the door. "Thank you, Miss Faragonda."

"You are very welcome, dear." The elder woman smiled warmly as the girl left the office. When the girl finally walked out, she let out a sigh. "I hope she learns to accept it, because there will be no running away from this matter." She sighed.

**Ok, footnotes:**

**1. I've decided to give her a full name. Roxanne means "Dawn of Day", or poetically, a beginning.**

**2. In ****Hamlet****, Ophelia was a young maiden in love with Hamlet. But when Hamlet pretended to be insane and fled Denmark, she went a little insane herself and committed suicide by drowning in a river. Ironic, since the name literally means "Help".**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:**** I seriously want to find these mysterious cliff-jumping friends my mother keeps warning me about.**

**Winds of Change**

**2. Meeting the Natives**

Roxy trudged through to her room with her eyes to the floor and shoulders slumped. She hadn't even been to her suite yet, let alone met her roommates. How would they deal with being forced to live with a half-breed?

Her suite, like all the others, was a living area with three bedrooms connecting to it. Each bedroom had its own private bath area, so as to save hassles when getting ready for classes in the morning, or dances at night. On each door were the names of the two fairies that were expected to coexist inside the room.

"Princess Sora of Welkin, huh?" (1) The terrestrial fairy looked at Artu, who tilted his head. "Wonder what she's like?" She wondered, pushing the door open and setting her things on the unclaimed bed (which was on the right hand side of the room). The left side walls were covered in posters, paintings, and photographs of sunrises, sunsets, and birds in flight, and an occasional airplane-like craft. That bed, already decorated by its owner, had pale blue sheets with white puffy clouds all over them. The lamp on the nightstand bore a similar motif.

"I guess she really loves clouds." Roxy shrugged, unzipping the modified duffle bag where her magical pets had been stored. Now free, they alternated between zooming around the room and nuzzling her for affection. She was so absorbed in playing with her pets that she never heard the bathroom door open.

"Roxanne of Earth, I presume?" Roxy jumped at someone calling her name. There, in the doorway, stood an oriental-looking girl with long blue-black hair and sky blue eyes.

"Just Roxy, please." The girl from Gardenia smiled, trying to calm her nerves. "I guess you must be Sora, then?"

"Correct, and thank you for not calling me 'princess'." Sora smiled warmly as one of the pets lighted on her shoulder. "Oh. Hello there."

"Guido, behave!" Roxy chided the little cat, who pouted. Sora looked at him in wonder.

"So many pets you have. I didn't think we were allowed more than one."

"Well, I'm the fairy of Animals. That, and Dad said that if I went, they had to go too." Artu barked, as if to say "Yep".

"Can you keep it down?" Both girls looked to the doorway and spied a tall girl with plum-colored cornrows, mocha skin, and bright green eyes. "I want to be able to get a good night's sleep before we start classes tomorrow, and I can't do that with a barking dog in the next room."

Artu whimpered his apology, while his master patted him on the head. "He will behave tonight. And what are you so grouchy about? It's still early."

"I was taught to stop problems before they start." The new girl said as yet another person appeared in the doorway to the living area. This girl had beautiful dark brown hair and gray eyes.

"Hey, my friend Sahara and I are hosting a 'getting to know you' meeting in the living room, and we'd like it if everyone in this suite joined us." She said in an airy, almost mystical voice. "That way we can learn more about what kind of personal restrictions we need to keep everyone pleased."

"Sounds wonderful." Sora smiled as the plumb-haired fairy next to the newcomer nodded.

'_This will be my chance to come clean, I suppose._' Roxy thought. "We'll be there."

"Great." The brunette teen smiled serenely. "I'm Laikia, by the way."

"Nice to meet you." Sora bowed her head. "I'm Sora, and that's Roxy, my roommate."

"Allie." The other girl in the doorway grunted.

"Well, the meeting will start as soon as Sahara gets back with the snacks, so please try to get your thoughts in order before then." And with that, Laikia ducked out and scurried back to wherever she came from.

* * *

Five minutes later, all six girls sharing the suite gathered in the common area for introductions. As promised, there was plenty of junk food and soda to go around. Once everyone had a chance to fix their plates, Laikia gathered everyone up in a circle on the floor.

"Good evening to all of you." She said, a warm smile on her face. "I thought we could use tonight as a chance to get to know each other and voice our concerns about in-dorm behavior. Why don't we go around the circle and introduce ourselves?"

"I'll go first." A girl with dark tanned skin and soft black hair stated, her hazel eyes gazing serenely at the other fairies. "I'm Sahara from Gobi, and I'm the fairy of Deserts." (2)

"That's interesting." A girl whose cream-colored hair had been pulled into two spiky pigtails and tipped with teal-colored gel, said. "I'm Jocelyn or Lyn from Isis, and I'm the fairy of Distractions!" (3)

"How is that a power?" Allie raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Sounds more like something you'd hear from a pixie, not a fairy."

"Leave the girl alone." Laikia chided. "Well, as most of you know, my name is Laikia and I'm from Cosmosia. My power is over the moon and stars." (4)

"Better than mine." Allie grumbled. "I'm Alethea, but if you call me anything but Allie I'll slap you, from Emotiva. I'm the Aura fairy." (5)

"Why are you so upset about it?" Sora asked, genuinely confused. "My power only works on winds and clouds. Only my parents call me the "Sky" fairy."

"Still sounds better than mine." Allie grumbled.

"Can we stop this?" Roxy rubbed the bridge of her nose. This was going to be a fight if something wasn't done soon.

Sora blushed, while Allie just seemed indifferent. "Sorry. My name is Sora, I'm from Welkin, and I'm the Sky fairy."

Roxy took a deep breath. She honestly hated group introductions. "Roxanne from Earth…well, technically the kingdom of Tir Na Nog on the planet Earth. I'm the fairy of Animals and please just call me Roxy."

"That's why you have a dog with you." Allie blurted out. "Man, I feel stupid right now."

Roxy grinned sheepishly. "Don't mention it. I should have told you earlier."

"Wait, you're from Earth?" Lyn's brown eyes grew large. "I thought Earth had no magic?"

"It did, it was just locked away." Roxy explained. "The people went so long without magic that they didn't always recognize it when it showed up."

"Makes sense." Sahara nodded. "You've got you Winx, right?"

The pink-haired girl fidgeted nervously. "Actually, I kinda skipped Winx and went straight to Believix."

"How does THAT work?" Allie asked. "And why is your aura so messed up?"

"Messed up?" Roxy blinked, absolutely confused by the statement. The plumb-haired teen nodded.

"Yeah. It looks like a tie-dye swirl of green. Most people just have one shade."

A sigh escaped the animal fairy's lips. She hadn't wanted to bring it up just yet, but it looked like she wouldn't have much of a choice. "Well, I'm not sure how I skipped my Winx form. I didn't really focus on that until today. But my aura…I guess that means that my magic really _is_ unbalanced."

"What do you mean by unbalanced?" Laikia blinked. "I've never heard that term applied to magical energy before."

"According to Miss Faragonda, it means that I have quite a bit of witch-type magic in addition to the light magic." Roxy stated bluntly.

"Witch!" Lyn shrieked, backing away as hastily as she could manage.

"She never said she was a witch!" Allie groaned. "Just that she had some 'dark' magic, which does explain your funky aura." She looked at the violet-eyed girl, who shrugged helplessly.

"I still don't want her rooming with me!" Lyn shook her head so fast it looked like it might fall off.

"You're rooming with me, you ditz." Laikia glared at the smaller fairy. "Sora's the one who's sharing a bedroom with her."

"And I don't mind." The Asian-looking princess stated. "Not all witches are evil, you know."

"How can you say that?" Lyn gasped. "They play nasty pranks on you, and they steal your boyfriends, and ruin your clothes…"

"Kid, you must have really pissed off a very nasty witch in your recent past." Allie shook her head, a smirk plastered on her full lips. "Most witches are just like us, trying to survive our exams and avoid fights with upper classmen."

"She's right." Sora nodded. "My twin sister is a witch. She's at CT right now, meeting her roommates, going through Orientation, and maybe going out to get a feel for Magix."

Lyn still wasn't buying it. "You're wrong! They're all out to destroy us! You'll see!" She stated before scurrying off into her dorm. Sahara raised an eyebrow at her departure.

"What's _her_ problem?"

"No clue." Laikia sighed. "But I'll try to talk some sense into her tonight."

"Better hope you can do it fast." Allie said. "My older sister is a Junior this year, and she said that Faragonda is making us work with some of the Cloud Tower students for some of the projects in Herbology and Potions."

"She'll either get over herself and move on, or lock herself in her room and fail those assignments." Laikia shrugged. "Although I'd much rather her take the first option."

"Agreed." Roxy nodded.

**

* * *

**

**ok, some footnotes here...**

**1. Sora is a Japanese name meaning "sky", and Welkin is an Old English word meaning the same thing.**

**2. Sahara literally means desert (which means that, translated, the Sahara desert is "desert desert"), and Gobi is a desert in Asia. **

**3. Jocelyn means "Playful; merry", very befitting a school prankster. ;)**

**4. Cosmosia is the realm that Ameryl is from in the series. As for the name Laikia…I made it up and have no idea what it could mean. **

**5. Alethia means "truth" and Emotiva is Spanish for "Emotion" or "emotional".**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Don't hide in doorways. You may find a key that opens up your soul. (1)**

**~...~ are thoughts**

**Winds of Change**

**3. Lessons Learned**

Following breakfast the next morning, all 6 girls departed to their first classes. For Roxy, that class was Transfigurations with Wizgiz. Traditionally his class was one of the hardest for freshmen, and this year proved to be no exception.

"This sucks!" A girl named Ester grumbled. The class was supposed to be changing the color of their eyebrows, but instead she induced a unibrow and excess nose hairs. This looked especially odd, since her natural hair color was a bright shade of green.

"At least you got something to happen." Roxy muttered. As of yet, she accomplished nothing.

"You're thinking too much." Laikia smiled serenely, raising a delicate bright-red brow. "Relax, tell your magic what to do, and go with it."

Nodding, Roxy closed her eyes and took a deep breath, conjuring in her mind the same shade of green as a mallard's head…

Gasps and laughter filled the classroom, and when she opened her eyes, she knew why. A duck's beak now replaced her nose and mouth, and green feathers served as her hair. "Ah, crap!" She moaned.

"Bravo, Roxy!" Wizgiz applauded. "Most students don't get around to transforming their faces until the end of the semester! You're a step ahead!"

"But I didn't mean to!" she protested. "How do I get back to normal?"

"Same way you got here. Think human." The leprechaun smiled.

Again, the Animal Fairy closed her eyes and tried to picture herself. What she looked like in the mirror. Even more giggles erupted this time. She peeked out of her left eye and groaned in annoyance. She was human again, but her hair took on the same color and texture of a mirror. "Why can't I get this right?"

"Looks like you need just a little help." Wizgiz smirked, producing a small mouse from his vest pocket. "Focus on him."

Seeing no other option, Roxy did as asked. "Fine, but I don't see what's so special about a tiny little mouse." But it didn't stay little for long. In a blink the creature grew in size and in scariness, causing Roxy to squeak and lean away from the animal.

"Works every time." Wizgiz shook his head as the mouse returned to its 'cute' size, and he placed it in his pocket.

Wondering just what the short man meant, Roxy checked her reflection again. Relief washed over her when she saw her usual pink-haired self staring back at her.

Brrriiiinnnnggggg!

"And that's all the time we have for today." The green-clad teacher called cheerfully. "Anyone still stuck in their transfiguration is free to stay behind."

Roxy wasn't and she didn't. No way could she afford to stay behind. She had to meet with her advisor today! She tore through the halls and stopped outside of an office door, hoping she wasn't too late or too early.

~I wonder what she's like?~ The terrestrial fairy wondered. ~Is she nice? Is she old, or more my age? Does she like animals?~ So many questions, and no time to answer them. Gathering her courage, she knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in!" A cheerful voice called. Opening the door, Roxy beheld a quaint room decorated with photographs of people and the odd pumpkin thrown in for good measure. Behind a desk sat an attractive young woman with short red hair, pale freckled skin, and blue-green eyes that matched the braided strip of hair that hung on the right side of her head. Miss Mirta certainly didn't look like the other fairies in the school, or even the teachers! None of them would be caught dead wearing all black unless they were going to a funeral.

"You must be Roxy." The older fairy smiled. "You got here earlier than I expected."

"I hope that's not a problem." Violet eyes looked disinterestedly at her own shoes. "I can come back later if you'd like."

"Oh, nonsense!" Mirta waved. "Sit down! Relax! I won't bite, I promise."

Roxy nodded and nervously sat down in the chair opposite Mirta. "Um, Miss Faraganda said you could help me out. That you knew what I was going through."

"That's right." The red head nodded. "I actually spent my first year as a student at Cloud Tower. Like you, my magic is equally balanced: equal parts light and dark. It's the reason I couldn't transform during my first year. But, after two years at Alfea, I'm now a well-adjusted fairy." She smiled warmly. "Now, tell me a little about yourself. How long have you known you were a fairy?"

"Only a year." The girl said. "I had no idea until I met the Winx girls and those Wizards started chasing me. But it all started to make sense after that, you know? My bond with animals, the strange things that happened sometimes when I got really angry or upset. It all just clicked." She looked at the older fairy. "I never questioned the reason I skipped the first three fairy stages. Just kinda accepted it."

"You didn't know any better, Roxy." Mirta soothed. "There was no reason for you to doubt, because you already had your wings."

"But I still should have realized something was off." The terrestrial fairy sighed. "I never realized anything could possibly be out of the ordinary until I went to Ofelia's office for a physical."

"It wouldn't have felt off." Mirta placed her hands on top of Roxy's. "You were born this way. There's no shame in that."

"But I'm a freak of magic!" Roxy exclaimed, pulling her hands away and tossing them into the air. "I have to go to Cloud Tower for classes! The other girls think I'm some kind of traitor."

"But you're not." The older halfie said. "Believe it or not, most of the old taboos about witches and fairies are being broken. My best friend is a witch. Several students here have siblings at either Cloud Tower or another witch's academy. The walls of hatred and mistrust are crumbling down, Roxy, and you are an important piece in that process."

"Still won't help me get my suitemates to accept me as I am." The violet-eyed girl sighed dejectedly.

"Which one of the girls are you having trouble with?" The teacher's aide offered a knowing look.

"Lynn of Isis." Roxy shook her head. "She freaked out when she found out my magic was out of whack. Keeps muttering about me spelling her sock drawer and all that good stuff."

"Tell me exactly what happened when she found out. What was her reaction like?"

"Fear. There was a lot of fear, and a little shock." The pink-haired girl answered slowly. "She kept saying something about how I would put a curse on her or steal her boyfriend with a love potion?"

"Hmm. Sounds as if either she or someone close to her ran afoul a witch." Mirta mused. "Judging by her intense reaction, though, I would say that she did something that got their attention and not in a good way."

"Well, she is the fairy of distractions." Roxy thought out loud. "Maybe she pulled a prank on the wrong witch?"

"Or just a witch in general, when she intended someone else." Mirta shrugged. "Either one is possible. I'll ask Miss F. about getting her in on our next session. I'd like to hear her side of things."

Roxy's jaw fell open. "Are you joking?"

"No, I'm completely serious." The woman said. "Reactions like the one you described are pretty much always the result of a traumatic past experience. If we can find out what that was, then we can work on getting the two of you to make nice."

"What if she won't?"

"Then it's her loss, not yours. Never yours." The freckled fairy looked her in the eyes. "You need to stop hiding behind what ifs, Roxy. Who you are isn't dependent on the thoughts of others."

Sigh. "And here I thought Alfea would be just like any other old school…"

Mirta giggled out loud at that. "Roxy, if there's one thing you should know about Alfea, it's that it is unlike any other school in all the realms."

"What about Cloud Tower?" The violet-eyed teen inquired in a hollow voice.

"C.T. is…different from other schools." Mirta chose her words carefully. "Alfea and Cloud Tower are the top in their leagues, but those leagues are miles apart." She took a deep breath and glanced at the clock. "Oh my. Time has flown by today!" Turquoise eyes met amethyst ones. "You better get going. It would be a shame to be late on your first full day of classes."

"Yeah, a disaster." Roxy said dryly as she stood up. "Thanks for the pep-talk. I can't _wait_ for tomorrow's pow-wow."

The red-headed woman shook her head, a smirk firmly etched in her features. "Yep. You're definitely witchier than the average fairy! Good luck on the rest of your day, Roxy!"

"Yeah, you too." Roxy looked back before leaving the office.

**

* * *

1. Quote from the song "Don't Talk to Strangers" by Dio**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:**** Well, after four months of nothing, my muse is back and ready to go. Part two of Roxy's first day at CT should be up in a few weeks, provided the aforementioned muse doesn't take a vacation again.**

**Disclaimer: ****One does not simply walk into Wal-Mart. There is an evil there that does not sleep.**

**Winds of Change**

**4. Adventures in Cloud Tower**

By lunch the following day, Roxy's stomach was twisted into a nervous knot. It marked the start of her first session at Cloud Tower, a date not unnoticed by Lyn of Isis, who kept at least three feet between herself and the Fairy of Animals at all times. Fortunately, her roommate remained calm and offered some helpful advice.

"You'll be going into the same classes that the average Cloud Tower freshman would, so I don't think you'll have to worry too much about other kids in your class picking on you unless they come from a witching family." Sora explained as Roxy took a dainty bite of her salad. "In all likelihood, you'll have at least one class in common with my twin sister Miyako. You'll know her when you see her. She has near-black eyes and purplish-black hair with lavender streaks dyed into it."

"What's her power?" Roxy asked curiously. The Welkinite teen usually wasn't this animated in conversation, preferring to remain quiet and private. But if she was going to dish out details, Roxy was going to get as many down as she could.

"Her _official_ designation is the Night Witch, but most of it has to do with bending shadows and darkness, and to some extent lunar phases and starlight." Sora glanced down at her own plate. "Mother and Father tried to talk her into going to Alfea, even Beta Academy, rather than Cloud Tower, but she wouldn't budge. She'd already been accepted at that point, so there wasn't much they could do besides call for a transfer during the school year."

Roxy offered the smaller girl a warm smile. "Well, when I see her, I'll tell her you said hi and that you send your best wishes to her."

"Speaking of wishes and sending, you'd better get moving, girl." Allie spoke up, looking down from her end of the table to where the two roommates were conversing. "Shuttle leaves in fifteen minutes."

All attempts at eating forgotten, Roxy dashed out of the dining hall with Artu hot on her heels. She reached the transport and raced up the steps, expecting to be the only one making the pilgrimage to the Witches' school.

She was mistaken.

"Hi!" Roxy was thoroughly shocked to see a girl with long blonde hair and blue-green eyes sitting in the second row of benches. The girl was dressed in a knee-length brown skirt, green cropped lace-up blouse, and brown flat-heeled boots. "I didn't realize this was turning into a field trip." Her voice was soft and gentle, but still forcefully grabbed your attention.

"I didn't realize I would have company." Roxy replied as Artu boarded the bus behind her. She walked over to the other girl and sat down, trying to recall if she'd seen the blonde before. "I'm Roxy from Earth."

"Gabrielle of Melody." The girl smiled at Roxy before glancing down at Artu. "I didn't know we could bring pets! Not that I have one…"

"Oh, he's more than a pet." Roxy stated. "Artu…well, he helps me use my power more efficiently. I'm the fairy of Animals, you see."

"Oh!" Gabrielle beamed. "That explains why they let me bring my notebooks… I'm the Fairy of Poetry, by the way."

"Golly, are we starting our own class?" A new, rougher voice said. Both girls looked up and saw that it belonged to a very athletic girl who looked to be older than them. Her curly brown hair was cut short and her attire looked very…military. A khaki button-up shirt was tucked into a pair of army-green cargo pants, which in turn were tucked neatly into a pair of brown combat boots. She carried no purse with her, but a quiver full of what appeared to be shortened spears was slung across her back.

"I guess we _are_ halfway there." Gabrielle shrugged. "Maybe this won't be as terrible as I thought it would be."

"It's not all that terrible." The newcomer shrugged. "I've been in the program since it started last fall. Basically, we take the place of a few chosen CT students who come to Alfea to learn more about their magic source and how to channel it more effectively. Granted, I would feel better training at RF, but you can't have everything you want."

"So you're a sophomore?" Roxy inquired. The new girl nodded.

"Yep. I'm Alison from Eraklyon, by the way." The brunette smiled.

"Nice to meet you." Gabrielle smiled. "I'm Gabrielle, and this is Roxy."

"Hi." Roxy waved weakly. Alison shook her head.

"No need to be nervous. I don't bite. Now some of the older witches might try to take a chunk out of you, but as long as you stick with your group it's okay." The older fairy shrugged.

"Did you have a group?" Gabrielle asked. "When you started last year, I mean."

"Not especially." The girl sighed, sitting in the bench directly in front of the two freshmen and turning around so that she was facing them. "There was just me and another girl named Serenity…she's a mage student, though, so she's never going to sprout wings on us. Court and Zee were loads of fun—they're both studying at CT, but I think Court may be in the exchange program this year."

"Do you think Serenity will be back this year?" Roxy asked.

"No. I don't think so. If she is back, she's at Cloud Tower and not Alfea, because I didn't see her at orientation." Alison sighed.

"Then tell us about the other two you met… Court and Zee." Gabby asked hopefully. "What are they like?"

"Well, Court is a fellow Eraklyonite, so we hit it off almost instantly." Alison grinned as the shuttle driver climbed on board. "Never did find her source last year, though, so she couldn't transform. Personally, I think she's trying too hard to find it. Your power source is almost always something you've always found comfort or solace in."

"That makes sense." Roxy nodded as the shuttle doors closed and the engine roared to life. "I've always felt more at ease around animals than I did near people."

"I hear ya!" Alison chuckled. "Me? I've always been a tomboy. Track and Field was my favorite sport back home; still is, actually. It's where I found out I had powers in the first place. Not that there's anything wrong with a nice, quiet book by the fireplace, but nothing beats the adrenaline rush of a competition like that."

"You read as well?" Gabby's eyes sparkled. "Wow. I didn't know anyone at this school read anything other than the latest issue of _Teen Fairy_."

"Good to know not everyone's into that tabloid trash." Alison snorted, looking back at the two younger girls.

"But back to the topic—the one we started on." Roxy prodded. "Why do you think Court is looking too hard?"

"She thinks a source is supposed to be something powerful and mystical." Alison sighed. "That's not always the case. She's a grease monkey. Loves to fix things, especially things with wheels that go really fast. Damn good driver, too. My guess, she's some sort of vehicle guardian, but good luck convincing _her_ of that."

"Sounds like my latest attempt to convince my suitemate that I'm not going to hex her in her sleep…" Roxy muttered.

"Sounds like a fun suitemate." Gabby rolled her eyes.

"Actually, it reminds me of Zee when we first met." Ali smirked. "She was convinced that we were going to stuff her into a frilly pink dress and make her go on marathon shopping trips." She shook her head. "Well, Courtney would have made her wear the dress. She's a fashionista, that one. But once we convinced Zee we weren't going to turn her into a pixie, we got along fine."

"Then that will be three people I'll get along with at Cloud Tower." Roxy thought out loud, earning curious stares from the other two girls. "Oh. My roommate's twin sister is at Cloud Tower."

"Aw, sweet! You got one of the 'progressive' roommates!" the brunette fairy in front of her grinned broadly. "Those are the best kind! Well, them and anyone who's more concerned with being active and having fun doing it than ruining their manicure."

"Too true." Roxy grinned, and to her utter surprise, Gabby nodded an affirmative. She had the feeling that she and the other two fairies were going to get along _just _fine.

* * *

Cloud Tower Academy of Witchcraft proved every bit as imposing as the photograph she'd seen of it in the 'Welcome to Magix: Crossroads of the Known Realms' pamphlet she'd received at freshmen orientation. It was dark, Gothic, and downright creepy… in a sort-of cool sense of the word. The place really _was_ alive. She could feel the castle's heartbeat as the trio of exchange students drew closer to the front door. Granted, she wasn't sure if she could commune with it like she did with animals… Yes, it had a heartbeat, but it was made out of a mushroom. Fungi weren't animals, but they weren't quite plants either. They were just confusing.

Ah, she'd figure it out later. Right now, she was getting lost in the rhythmic _badump, badump-bump_ sound of the school's heart. She almost didn't notice the violet haired woman standing at the doors. At first she thought the woman must be one of the faculty, and she was partly right in that assessment. But Ali proved her wrong yet again.

"Hey, Ms G, I'm back and I brought re-enforcements!" The Eraklyonite girl gestured to the two on either side of her. Gabrielle smiled nervously, clutching the strap of her brown leather book bag tightly. Roxy gulped and waved.

"Uh, hello, Ms Griffin." She said, her voice sounding much more squeaky than she'd intended it to. Sensing his master's distress, Artu rubbed his head against her pant leg. She suddenly regretted wearing her usual green and pink ensemble. It stood in stark contrast to the décor. If she survived today, she wouldn't make **that** mistake again.

"Roxanne of Earth and Gabrielle of Melody, I presume?" the Headmistress inquired. Both freshmen nodded sheepishly. "Very well. Lady Alison, Courtney is waiting for you in the potionology lab. You know the way there."

Alison visibly grimaced at being called 'Lady'. Roxy raised a curious eyebrow. She wouldn't have pegged the rough-and-tumble Javelin Fairy as any sort of nobility. Still, Ali nodded respectfully to the witch and glanced back at her new friends. "Have fun, girls. Learn a lot!" She said before trotting off toward the aforementioned classroom.

Griffin barely paid the sophomore any mind, instead focusing on the two freshmen in front of her. "Well, come along. You don't want to be late for your first classes."

* * *

Roxy hadn't realized that their first class that afternoon, Witchcraft 101, was taught by Headmistress Griffin herself. Or that a room full of half-bored freshmen would perk up so instantly whenever she and Gabrielle came through the door. Seriously, about twenty five sets of eyes all snapped toward the door when they walked in. Finding your seat takes on a whole new level of awkward when the whole room is staring at you.

"Where did you come from?" A dark-haired girl behind her asked as soon as the Fairy of Animals took her seat.

"Isn't it obvious?" Another girl snorted in disgust. "Only someone from that fairy school would be caught wearing a shirt that shade of pink."

"Hey, no fair! She brought her Familiar to class!" Still another voice whined, obviously referring to Artu's presence.

"Attention!" Griffin called, causing all murmured comments in the room to cease. "Now, as all of you should have read in your orientation packets, Cloud Tower and Alfea College have started an exchange program for students wanting to expand their knowledge of magic and its different uses and forms. These two girls are a part of that program. While they are here, you will treat them as you would any other member of your class, are we clear?"

A chorus of "yes, Headmistress" followed that statement. Roxy didn't say anything. She was too busy wondering if anyone would notice if she had Artu dig a hole for her to hide in. She felt entirely too exposed sitting on her assigned 'step' (apparently Ms. Griffin didn't believe in desks and opted for Colloseum-style seating).

"Good." The elder witch replied curtly. "Now, please turn to page 24 in your books, and we shall begin the day's lesson."

Roxy was about to ask what book (she didn't have any for her Cloud Tower classes), but before she could say anything, one appeared in her lap. ~_Magic.~_ She thought to herself. _~I don't think I'm ever going to get used to it.~_ She already felt like she was falling behind, being from a mostly magic-less planet and all. Stuff like making school books appear out of thin air made her feel even more inferior as a magical being.

Mercifully for Roxy, the class trudged on without further interruption. The lesson plan was over the phases of the moon (they would spend three class periods on this subject), something over which she already had a loose understanding. The ocean tides were influenced by the moon, and consequently so were the animals living in the ocean. She didn't have a strong understanding of its intricacies like Stella or Aisha, but she knew the basics. Now she just had to learn what all it meant to her as a magical creature.

"Hey, did you understand all that stuff?" Gabrielle asked as soon as they left class. Roxy shrugged.

"Some of it. The stuff about lunar phases and their names, not this nonsense about planets with two moons and how it applies to magic." She sighed. "Non-magical planet, remember? This isn't stuff I learned in primary school."

"Really?" Both fairies turned to see a young witch with shoulder-length silver hair and bright pink eyes. "You're from a non-magical realm? Which one?" Strangely, the girl didn't seem condescending; just insanely curious.

"Earth." Roxy answered slowly. The girl looked a bit… well, the only word she could come up with was "nerdy". She wore a gray and purple plaid skirt, a white t-shirt with a gray, black and purple vest over it, and black Mary-Jane shoes.

Nerdy girl gasped in awe. "Wow! Earth? Really? That planet hasn't had ANY magical activity of its own for over a decade. Are you a native or a transplant from another realm?"

"Why should I tell you anything when I don't even know your name?" Roxy frowned.

Nerdy girl looked properly scolded. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I was just so curious about your remark that I forgot to introduce myself properly. I'm Varali from the second moon of the Solarian system. I control Gravity."

"Gravity?" Gabrielle asked as the three started to walk toward the next class. "That's a cool power. More useful than my poetry. I'm Gabrielle form Melody."

"Roxy of Earth." Roxy nodded. "And my trusty companion Artu." She smiled at her dog, who yelped happily in acknowledgment.

"A Familiar?" Varali blinked. "But… but most girls don't get a Familiar until junior year or later…"

"There's that term again." Roxy frowned. "What exactly is a Familiar?"

"A Familiar is an animal that a witch forms a lifelong bond with." Varali explained. "After the bond is formed, the animal won't act like a normal animal anymore. They become lifelong helpers to their owners."

Roxy looked down at Artu in shock. Could she really have turned her beloved pet into a Familiar by accident? "And here I thought it was just because I was the Fairy of Animals…"

"Oh, Fairies can do it too, sometimes." Varali smiled. "It's more commonly done by witches, but some fairies have been known to form Familiars unconsciously. It's usually a bond formed by the love and care put into taking care of the animal… plus a little magic."

Immediately, Roxy's mind went to Bloom's pet rabbit, Kiko. For a long time, she suspected that Kiko wasn't like normal rabbits. He practically lived to assist Bloom. And the redhead said that she'd had the rabbit since before she knew she was a fairy so…

Holy… Bloom had made herself a Familiar and didn't even know it! She was _so_ going to flip out when she found out the truth!

But before Roxy could tell the redheaded princess anything, she had to get to her next class.

"I never would have thought that Fairies and Witches would have so much in common." Gabrielle admitted. "But then again, that's how we both wound up here."

"To tell you the truth, I wanted to be in the exchange program, but my parents wouldn't sign off on it." Varali sighed. "And then during the aptitude test, the energy levels I stirred up were unusually high for a freshman, so Miss Griffin wouldn't have let me go anyway until I learn to control some of the output levels."

"Maybe we can help each other out?" Roxy suggested. "I have a lot to learn about magic. You want to control your powers. And Gabby… what do you want anyway, Gabby?"

"I want to find some sort of practical application for my power." The blond admitted. "All I've ever used it for was acing my literature class and composing in my spare time. I don't know how to use it in a combat situation."

"We'll find a way, I'm sure of it." Roxy said confidently. Hell, if Tecna the Technology Fairy could make a barrier out of something that normally only worked in cyberspace, Gabby the Poetry Fairy shouldn't have any problems.

"All it will take is a bit of research." Varali smiled. "With all the resources contained in the libraries of both schools, it shouldn't be a problem. We'll find some solutions in no time."

Roxy nodded along, even though the prospect of spending hours on end in the school library held no personal enjoyment for her.

"For the last time, I am NOT a Fairy!" An angry voice echoed through the halls. All three took off in search of the cause, and came upon a dispute between four girls. Three were decidedly older, at least in their Junior year. A blond with inky black streaks in her hair, a tanned brunette with green eyes (like an evil version of Flora, Roxy thought), and a redhead with her coppery locks held in a loose bun had circled around an angry freshman. The freshman wore a violet mesh hoodie, silver tank top, black jeans, and black dominatrix boots. Her long black hair had several lavender streaks dyed into it.

"Miyako!" Roxy gasped, attracting her companion's attention.

"You know her?" Varali asked. Roxy nodded.

"She's my roommate's twin sister. We have to help her!"

"I don't believe you." The blond witch purred. "Your sister is a pixie. You're twins. You must be a pixie too."

"And Pixies aren't to be allowed in a Witches' school." The redhead sneered.

"I'm just as much a Witch as you three!" Miyako exclaimed.

"No you're not!" The brunette taunted. "You can act as punk as you want, but you're no more of a witch then that loser grease monkey from Eraklyon!"

"Say it to my face again, bitch!" A right hook slammed into the side of the brunette's left cheek, sending the older witch tumbling to the ground. The fist belonged to a very attractive girl with cropped dark auburn hair and brown eyes. Flanking her on either side were Alison and a tall black haired witch Roxy didn't know.

"You hit me!" The brunette screeched.

"I'll send you to the damn nurse's office if you don't stop picking on freshmen, Cliantha!" The newcomer shouted back.

"Same goes for Tasanee and Misu as well." The raven-haired witch said, her deep voice commanding a sort of authority. "Or we'll go report your sorry asses to the headmistress. Again."

"She can't do that!" Misu, the blond, shrieked. Alison shrugged.

"I'd say Xena can do damn well whatever she wants, and you three can't stop her." The Javelin Fairy smirked. "Remember how badly she kicked your collective asses last semester?"

"We don't have to sit here and take this!" Tasanee growled, looking to her companions. "Let's get out of here and find some sensible people to talk to, ladies."

"Who needs a bunch of pixie lovers anyway?" Cliantha snorted as she picked herself up off the ground.

"Apparently not you three." Alison snorted as the auburn-haired girl looked at Miyako.

"Are you okay, kid?" She asked. The Oriental (at least, to Roxy) teen nodded.

"Yeah. I could have handled it, you know." She said with false confidence. "It was just words."

"Words around here have a way of cutting deeper than a dagger." Xena responded softly. "Look, punks like those three like to pick on stragglers, so try to find a group and stay with them. It's the best way to keep from getting surrounded like that."

"Or just do what Ali and Zee do and kick their asses when they try." The other girl (whom Roxy decided must be the Courtney that Ali couldn't shut up about on the ride over here) grinned.

Roxy, unable to stand and watch anymore, walked over to the group and cleared her throat. "Hey. You're Miyako from Welkin, right?" She asked, looking at the other girl. Miyako blinked in confusion.

"How did you…"

"Sora's my roommate." Roxy smiled. "She told me to say hello and that she misses you."

Miyako's expression didn't change; she was every bit as confused as when Roxy introduced herself. "But…why are you here?"

"Roxy here's in the exchange program with me." Ali smirked. "Speaking of which, we all need to jet to our classes. Catch you on the way home, girls."

"See ya then." Gabby replied as Varali and Miyako watched in confusion.

"Fairy exchange program?" Miyako asked in disbelief.

"You know those three?" Varali asked curiously.

"Yes, there is such a thing." Gabrielle said as the four freshmen proceeded to their next class (which was supposed to be Herbology, but they might wind up insanely late for it). "And yes, we know Ali and we know of the other two."

"Because they were almost all she talked about on the shuttle ride here." Roxy stated.

"It's a wonder you two aren't walking targets." Miyako pointed out. Roxy shot her a look.

"Uh, did you see that fist-fight? I'm sorry, but if they know that we are on Alison's good side, I think we're fairly safe from most bullies."

"I don't think those three are typical bullies, though." Varali made a face as they came to the garden shed (which, Roxy realized, should have been _much_ farther away from their Witchcraft class). Bonus points to the slightly creepy living building. It gave you shortcuts without you even knowing about it. "I say we do more research."

"Rali, we're already researching ways to reduce your output and beef up Gabby's." Roxy pointed out. "I think we need to focus on that and our homework before we take on any more assignments."

"That's it. You are officially the strangest people I've ever met." Miyako threw her hands in the air.

"You're talking to a gravity-defying nerd, a Fairy with a Familiar, and a modern day bard." Gabby pointed out. "The train for Normalsville left a _long_ time ago."

"…you make a very convincing argument." Miyako conceded as they walked into the classroom and found their seats.

**Okay, now for the ever-popular name game. **

**1) Gabrielle. Battling Bard. Sorry, but the opportunity to have a Poetry Fairy was too good to pass up. Same goes for Xena the Warfare Witch.**

**2) Alison and Courtney were the real names of two characters in an old cartoon series. Special 'create a random classmate' privileges go to the first three people to guess which show. Bonus points if you give me their 'work names'.**

**3) Varali loosely translates to 'moon', which is fitting since the moon effects a gravitational pull on the Earth (any magical realm with a similar set-up will have the same scenario). Miyako means "night". Cliantha is a plant name. Tasanee means 'beautiful view' (you'll realize why when I intro her powers) and Misu means water. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: Before anyone complains or tries to question my logic on this, I'm listing the basic witch form as Trix. I figure our favorite villainesses might have chosen to name their coven after the most basic power level to avoid suspicion. Besides, I haven't heard a better (or even an official) name for the base form of witches listed, so I'm going to continue using Trix in my writing. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Roxy, nor is this fiction written with the intent of making a profit. I write this purely for my own amusement, and hopefully all of you will find some in this tale as well. **

**Winds of Change**

**5. Don't Make Assumptions…**

She couldn't have been more nervous if she'd been auditioning for a national musical.

When she agreed to sign up for the exchange program with Cloud Tower, Roxy never realized one of her Cloud Tower classes would center on Battle Transformations and Tactics. She regretted not reading the entire brochure now. If she'd known she'd be forced to sprout her wings in front of a crowd of witches, she would never have signed up! But it was too late to back out now. She just hoped her Believix worked in Magix. It should… shouldn't it?

"Hey, Varali." She asked her silver haired friend as the teacher strode in. "Do transformations native to other realms have the same power if you use them in Magix? _Can_ you use them in Magix?"

"Of course you can!" The pink-eyed witch chirped. "Magix is a magical crossroads for both trade and education. Any transformation native to your home realm can also be achieved here, and will have the same firepower."

"That's a relief." Roxy breathed. "I only ever gained my Believix—a transformation native to non-magical realms like Earth. I still haven't earned my basic Winx form yet. What about you, Gabrielle?" She looked at the blond girl sitting to her other side.

"I can transform… but it's not sparkly or pretty like the other fairies' outfits." Gabrielle lowered her gaze in embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it too much." Roxy tried to cheer her up. "We'll be outcasts together in this class."

"All-right, quiet down!" The teacher, an older wizard wearing a long blood-red cloak, called out in a booming voice. "First to fight will be Varali and Sarabi!" Both Varali and a pretty blond witch stepped into the fighting area.

"Varali magic Trix!"

"Sarabi magic Trix!"

Roxy did a double take as the light around her new friend faded. Vara went from geek to chic! A violet ¾ sleeved shirt layered under a baby-blue tunic covered her torso, while violet skinny pants and sensible flats adorned her legs and feet.

"Wow." Gabby breathed. "She's so…pretty." Roxy nodded along.

"Not what I expected, that's for sure."

Sarabi attempted to trap Varali in an illusion, but the silver-haired witch wouldn't have it.

"Gravity Pull!" There was no burst of energy, no flash of light. Sarabi simply fell to the ground, no longer able to stand against the increased gravity. Pinned to the floor, she could not lift her hands to form a counter-spell. That match victory went to Varali, without question.

"Miyako! Shiamber!" The teacher bellowed. "You're up!"

The Welkinite teen somberly made her way to the practice field, eyes cast down at the floor. This confused Roxy. Miyako seemed proud to be a witch. Why would she be embarrassed of her transformation?

"Shiamber magic Trix!"

"Miyako magic Trix!" Miya's punkish wardrobe vanished, leaving behind an elegant, long, black kimono with silver star patterns all over it and deep embroidery along the silver silk trim and sash. Black stockings reached down her legs and black jeweled sandals covered her feet. Her long hair, once flowing free, now was pulled back in an elegant bun.

"Well, she really does look the princess part now." Roxy breathed as Shiamber unleashed an energy attack at Miyako.

"Shade shield!" The Night Witch said in a soft, controlled voice. A protective circle of shadow energy surrounded her body, completely blocking the other freshman's attack. Enraged, Shiamber fired a volley of energy bolts with the hope of breaking the barrier. None of them did, and the dark skinned girl looked on the verge of collapse when Miyako finally went on the offensive.

"Night Rain." She stated, stretching out her arms. A dark, cloud-like structure formed over Shiamber's head and rained down dozens of shadow-charged drops. It didn't take long for Shiamber to revert to her school clothes and fall to her knees. Satisfied, Miya powered down and walked calmly back to her seat.

"That was amazing!" Gabrielle gushed as two more students were called to the battle area.

"That was a waste of my time." Miya snorted. "Shi doesn't know her basic battle tactics yet. I bet she just recently learned to transform and hasn't found her source."

"It still looked impressive." Gabby said as another student fell and her name was called. With a dejected sigh, the blond fairy stood and walked to the circle.

"Joule magic Trix!"

"Gabrielle Magic Winx!" Well, the Poetry fairy had been right about her outfit: it wasn't sparkly at all. A strapless tawny deerskin dress with a tattered hem fell to about her knees, with a wide belt a slightly darker shade of brown encircling her hips. Brown boots reached halfway up her calves and wooden bangle bracelets covered her arms, while dainty golden wings sprouted from her back. It made Roxy think of the story tellers of ancient tribes long since disbanded.

"Static Shock!" Joule cried, launching an electrical orb at the Melodian girl.

Gabby froze for a moment before shouting "Block!" Unfortunately, all that appeared in front of her was a cinder block, which fell straight to the floor and did nothing to block the attack. A cry of anguish sounded as the electric energy connected and the blond teen hit the floor. Many of the witches cackled with glee while her friends watched in horror. Joule was ready to finish the fairy off completely, when…

"Enough!" The teacher's voice boomed. "Power down, both of you! Joule wins the match."

"No pathetic pixie can beat a trained witch!" Joule laughed haughtily.

"Wanna make a bet out of that?" Roxy spoke up and stood to her feet before her mind could tell her body not to do so. Just because Gabby didn't understand her power yet didn't mean she was pathetic.

Joule grinned, twirling a lock of sea green hair around her index finger. "Oh, please, just give up and go home! You don't have what it takes to beat me!"

"Let's find out, shall we?" The professor interrupted, catching the boastful witch off her guard. "Joule, Roxanne, to the combat circle!" Since Joule hadn't moved after her previous match, she stayed put and examined her manicure in a bored fashion. Roxy, by contrast, wasted no time in marching into the ring. "Begin!"

"Joule magic Trix!"

"Roxy magic Believix!" Roxy closed her eyes, relishing the tingly feeling of magic moving along her bare skin. In a flash, she stood in her pink and green Believix form, big wings and all.

Joule stood slack-jawed for a moment, not having seen any fairy form like that before. "That's not fair!" She sputtered. "She's an upper-classman! She has to be with wings like that!"

"No, I'm just from a non-magical realm that grants transformations for helping someone else believe in magic." Roxy smirked, feeling energy swirling at her fingertips. "Call of the Wild!"

The deafening noise of every animal on Earth raising their voices at the same time filled Joule's ears, causing her to drop to her knees. Artu even joined in the chorus, howling from his seat in the auditorium. Try as she might, the Electric Witch couldn't block out the cacophony.

A smirk crossed Roxy's lips. Compared to the Wizards of the Black Circle, and the rogue fairies she and the Winx faced on Earth, this girl was a pushover! "Talon Strike!" She threw her hands in front of her body, molding her finger into rough claw-like shapes. Green energy in the form of a large bird of prey rocketed from her hands, soaring uncontrollably toward the immobile witch.

Joule barely had time to glance up before the attack made impact. Avian talons ripped at her wardrobe, trying to gouge through the vinyl jacket and pants that comprised her transformation. Any slip in control meant that the green-haired witch would be seriously injured. Fortunately, Roxy knew how to keep her cool. The only 'damage' done to her counterpart was several tears in her clothes.

Catching the look their instructor shot her way, the Earthling powered down and the energy raptor vanished. Joule, now in a state of terror, backed hastily away from the Fairy of Animals, de-powering in the process.

"Still think fairies are pathetic?" Roxy asked coolly. None of the witches dared to speak. "Figured as much."

"As you all can see, knowing your opponent, and the control level they possess, is crucial to winning a battle." The instructor stated. "Do not assume you have the upper hand just because of how you channel your magic. Such arrogance leads only to defeat!"

"I'm sure he won't have to explain it twice to Joule." Varali smirked contentedly as Roxy walked back to her friends. "She'll be gunning for you, by the way."

"If she wants to make a fool of herself again, she's welcome to." Roxy replied softly as the teacher launched into a detailed lecture on the pros and cons of the base-line transformations of both witches and fairies. "I'd rather just focus on passing my classes, though."

"Then I suggest the both of you quiet down and pay attention." Miyako hissed in a dignified manner. Both girls promptly silenced their conversation and turned to watch their instructor.

* * *

When Roxy and the other exchange students returned, her roommate was waiting at the shuttle drop-off for her. Waving goodbye to her fellow students, Roxy bounded down the stairs of the shuttle and over to where Sora perched on a park bench.

"There you are." The Welkinite princess smiled. "I was wondering how long it would take… you seemed to be gone a long time."

"Well, it was a long drive there." The pink-haired girl waved. "Come on; let's go meet the others for dinner. I'm starving!" Battle tactics class took a lot out of her.

"Everyone's waiting to hear about your day." The smaller teen informed her. "Well, everyone but Lyn, but…well, you know how she's been lately…"

"Just leave her alone for a while." The Fairy of Animals sighed. "Maybe Miss Mirta's right and she'll get over it eventually?"

"We can only hope." Sora replied. "Now, I believe that if we don't get to the cafeteria soon, we will not be able to find a seat."

"Then we better get going." Roxy smiled softly. "I'd hate to miss out on…on, whatever the heck we're eating tonight just because I couldn't find a seat!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note: I apologize for the long wait and the shortness of this update. Next chapter will be longer, I promise.**

**Winds of Change**

**6. Lyn's Tale of Woe**

Roxy found herself back in Mirta's office the day after her first trip to Cloud Tower. That in and of itself wasn't a big deal; why wouldn't the witch/fairy want to ask how her first day of class went? No, what was driving Roxy's stress levels up was the fact that her suitemate, Jocelyn of Isis, sat in on this meeting as well. The Fairy of Distractions had gone out of her way to avoid being close to Roxy for several days now, and Mirta thought it helpful to learn just why the doe-eyed blond was so terrified of witches.

Of course, Mirta didn't count on the petite fairy-in-training wigging out at the sight of her.

"Y-you!" The Isisian girl squeaked as Mirta magically shut and locked the office door behind her. It had taken the younger fairy a moment to figure out who Mirta was, but once she realized that the girl was a witch/fairy like her roommate, her phobia of witches became evident. She backed into the door, brown eyes large with genuine fear. "No! No, you two are ganging up on me! You want to hex me!"

"Oh, calm down." Roxy groaned, her own throat hurting along with her ears from the volume of the smaller girl's squeaking. "We just want to talk with you."

"Jocelyn, please, all that stress isn't doing you any favors." Mirta soothed. "You need to calm down so we can get to the bottom of this phobia of yours, preferably before you either have a breakdown or develop an ulcer."

"You can't keep me here!" Jocelyn glared defiantly, or as defiantly as she could manage while scared stiff. "Miss Faragonda wouldn't allow it!"

"I have already spoken to the Headmistress, and she feels that you need to address this irrational fear instead of running away from the problem." Mirta explained in a calm, soft voice. "Please, Jocelyn. Can you sit here and answer a few questions for me? It won't take very long, I promise." Unknown to the younger fairy, Mirta was using her natural empathetic powers to calm the distressed girl. The spell worked, and Lyn calmed visibly, though still apprehensive of the two other women in the room.

"You…you promise you won't do anything mean?"

"For the last time, Lyn, we're not going to hurt you. We never wanted to in the first place!" Roxy exclaimed with an exasperated sigh.

Lyn still wasn't sure about Roxy's sincerity, but sat down in the chair next to hers anyway.

"Thank you." Mirta offered the girl a warm smile. "Now, Lyn, why do you feel so scared around Roxy and myself? We're both fairies; both have wings just like you." Granted, she hadn't earned her Enchantix yet, but that wasn't as important to Mirta as the affirmation that she was, indeed, a fairy. "We could even transform, if you don't believe us."

"But…how can you have wings if you're both witches?" The blond girl asked, tilting her head to the side. With her short pigtails flopping next to her face, she looked like a confused puppy.

A soft chuckle escaped Mirta's lips. "Oh, you thought… Oh, sweetheart, I think you got the wrong idea." The redhead stated, turquoise eyes sparkling with amusement. "We aren't _actual _witches. We're just able to use witch-type spells that most fairies can't."

"But I thought both of you went to witch school?" Lyn frowned, still looking a bit lost. "I know she was going to that creepy place yesterday!"

"I started out at Cloud Tower because my mother graduated from there. I stayed a year and then transferred to Alfea." Mirta explained. "Roxy goes so she can learn to use those witch-type spells properly and not hurt anyone on accident, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have wings like you and the other girls here."

"Whatever gave you the idea that I didn't have wings?" Roxy frowned.

"Witches don't have wings, of course." The blond fairy stated simply. "Everyone knows that."

Not wanting to get into how the younger girl was technically wrong about that, Mirta took a deep breath and sought to address the next subject. "Well, we wouldn't have been accepted here if Faragonda thought we didn't have wings. Now, onto the next issue. You seem to have some rather…extreme feelings about witches that I know don't come solely from town stigma or superstition." At this, Jocelyn tensed up. "You don't have to tell us exactly who did what…but I think you owe it to your suitemate to explain why you were so afraid to sit next to her at lunch."

"I..no, I don't want to!"

"But you need to. You need to tell me so I know why this freaks you out!" Roxy pointed out with as much tact as she could muster. "And please explain in simple words; non-magical planet, remember?"

"Jocelyn, nothing you say will leave these walls if you don't want it to." Mirta soothed the smaller fairy. "Nobody else has to know but us."

Lyn stayed quiet for a moment, gaze fixed on her shoes. "She turned me into a gnat." She finally murmured.

"How?" Roxy blinked in astonishment. It sounded like very high-level magic to her.

"It's a senior-level transfiguration hex; usually only lasts for a few hours." Mirta explained. "But why would a witch so much older than you want to turn you into a gnat, Lyn?" Witches always had their reasons for doing things, even if the reasons weren't very good. "You don't strike me as the kind of girl who would go around annoying senior witches."

"I didn't mean to!" The blond protested. "That slime-bomb was meant for my older brother, not that creepy woman! I even told her I was sorry, but she didn't listen!"

"Ah. That would do it." Mirta conceded. "You were still a little kid when that happened, weren't you, Lyn?" The other fairy nodded. "And she was a grown witch at the time, right?" Lyn nodded a second time, and then spoke up.

"She was _old_, at least, old compared to six-year-old me."

"Witches from that generation tend to be grumpy, which is why Cloud Tower uses them as teachers." The redhead stated. "You ruined her outfit, and she apparently thought a short-term hex was proper punishment—which it certainly wasn't for a six-year-old."

"So…this whole time you've known me, you were afraid of me doing something to you I didn't even know could be done in the first place?" Roxy asked cautiously. The smaller fairy's cheeks turned pink.

"I thought it was something all witches learned how to do." She stated sheepishly.

"Sweetie, I think you might need to talk to your adviser about the basic fundamentals of witch and fairy magic types." Mirta offered a small sigh to the younger fairy. "Can you work a couple of meetings a week into your schedule?"

"I think so." She said uncertainly. "Do you think Professor Wizgiz will want to talk? I got paired with him ad he seems pretty cool, but…"

"Oh, I'm sure he'll be fine with it." The freckle-faced redhead smiled. "Just keep in mind that not all witches are out to hex you."

"Yeah, remind me to introduce you to my two new friends at Cloud Tower." Roxy offered. "You'll really like Varali, and Miya might act like she doesn't care, but it's all just an act."

Lyn's good mood faltered slightly. "Maybe…just the other exchange students for now?" Baby steps, she told herself, were the key to moving forward.

"That can be arranged." The pink-haired Earthling shrugged. "Just let me know when you're ready and I'll set it up."

"Y...yeah, I can do that." The blond replied tentatively as Mirta checked her watch.

"Well, girls, we are out of time for today." The redhead spoke up, looking to the two freshman in front of her. "Roxy, I will see you next week. Jocelyn, please talk to Professor Wizgiz after classes today. The sooner you talk to him the sooner you can move forward. Now, off to class you two." She made shooing motions with her fingers, magically opening her office door in the process. "Don't be late for class on account of me!"


End file.
